Alexandra Eaton
by galaxies in her eyes
Summary: Tobias left his little sister, Alexandra, in Abnegation when he transferred. Now it's her turn to Choose, but will she decide to join her brother? And who is that handsome guy who scares, excites, and pisses her off at the same time? *NOT ABANDONED — UPDATED SPORADICALLY*
1. Chapter 1

Alexandra cowered before her father, Marcus Eaton, as he raised the terror of her life. _The belt._

Her brother, Tobias, left for Dauntless 2 years ago, leaving her at the mercy (or not) of Marcus and his permanently stained weapon of choice. He had started training to leave when he was 13, teaching 11-year-old Alexandra as well. Tobias helped Alexandra learn to shoot a gun, throw knives, hand-to-hand combat, and even archery, although it wasn't a Dauntless activity. They practiced gymnastics and jumping on and off trains, making their bodies as flexible as they could. The sore muscles and bruises from training blended right into the ones that Marcus inflicted on them.

Tobias had started being beaten when he was four, but Marcus only slapped and punched Alexandra, until Tobias left. Then he took out his anger on her, using knives, his belt, broken glass, anything that left marks. He left her arms and lower legs bare of marks, usually using her thighs and back as his canvas.

Alexandra couldn't wait to Choose, not just to leave Marcus, but to see her brother, make new friends and let loose. The siblings had snuck into Dauntless enough times to observe the wild parties thrown there. It always looked like fun.

Although they had black clothing - filched from Dauntless - they never came into view of people, or tried not to.

CHAPTER ONE: *APTITUDE TEST DAY*

"Alexandra Eaton," a voice called. Alexandra looked around, trying to determine who was calling her name. A blonde, middle-aged woman beckoned her from a doorway. Alexandra got up, wiping her hands on her loose, grey dress, then walked in the room, the woman stepping aside politely to let her pass.

The room was filled with wires, one end of which attached to a dentist-looking chair in the middle of the room, the other end hooked up to a computer. The woman - Alexandra recognized her now, she was Beatrice Prior's mother, Natalie- sat down in front of the computer, motioning her to sit in the chair.

Alexandra sat down nervously. handed her a small shot glass of light blue, almost clear liquid. "What is it?" She asked, eyeing the vial curiously.

"It's a simulation serum. It will put you in a dream-like state, making it easier for the sim to work." She tapped the wires, "These will be on your forehead. They will show me the image of the simulation, so I can figure out what faction you belong in."

Warily, I lean back. Natalie attaches the electrodes to my head, her cool fingers brushing against my flushed skin. "Bottoms up." She says. That's odd. I've never heard an Abnegation say something like that. I shrug and tip the liquid into my mouth.

I notice that the serum tastes like strawberries. Or is it oranges? My brain feels too tired to process anything, so I close my eyes and let the serum take over.

 ***SIMULATION***

 _I find myself in a room filled with mirrors. Instinctively, I look away. It's an Abnegation reflex that I can't seem to shake of myself. A robotic voice says, "Choose."_

 _"_ _Why?" I ask. I suddenly notice that 2 baskets have appeared on a table. One contains a hunk of cheese, the other holds a sharp throwing knife._

 _"_ _Choose." The voice says again. A large dog appears about a hundred feet away. I grab the cheese. The dog starts stalking towards me, growling and showing large, sharp teeth. I throw the cheese, which, with my perfect aim, hits the dog right on the nose. Unfortunately, this seems to irritate him even more, and instead of taking the cheese, he starts running at me, practically foaming at the mouth._

 _I look around frantically, but (surprise, surprise) the knife is gone and the cheese has disappeared into the floor. I dimly remember Tobias doing this with a wild dog, so I take a chance._

 _I drop onto my knees and force myself to look at the ground. Tobias explained after that it's considered a challenge if you look a dog in the eye. I close my eyes and brace myself for impact, expecting to be mauled by those sharp teeth at any minute, but after a few seconds I open my eyes cautiously and find a tiny, cute puppy in it's place._

 _I laugh in relief, until the door opens and a little girl who looks eerily like a younger me comes in. "Puppy!" She squealed, running towards it. Suddenly the puppy is gone and the snarling beast is back. The little girl screams as the dog chases after her. A split second decision is made: I can't let the girl get caught._

 _I run after the dog and tackle it to the ground, but instead of hitting the floor, I go through it. I find myself on a bus, standing beside a young man dressed in Erudite blue, reading the newspaper._

 _The headline reads:_ _Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehended_ _._

 _"_ _Do you know this guy?" The man taps the picture on the front page. The picture is in color, and I immediately recognize Tobias. Even though I know this is a sim, I would never turn my brother in._

 _"_ _No," I lie smoothly. The man glares at me._

 _"_ _You do know!" He accuses. "You could_ save _me!"_

 _I glare back at him, my stare icy, making him squirm slightly and avert his eyes. "Well," I say. "I don't."_

 ***END SIMULATION***

When I wake up, I find Natalie frowning at the computer screen, where I see myself talking to the man on the bus. "That...was perplexing. Alexandra, I'm afraid your result is..."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, just to clear this up:**

 **DauntlessBoy, yes, Alexandra will be in Tris's initiation class, and this _will_ be a FourTris fanfic. I am going to keep most of the character ships the same, but to make things more interesting, I might switch things up for a while. Don't worry, everyone will end up with the right people ;) Also, thank you for your kind review. It really made my day :) I'm glad you enjoy my writing. **

**And, without further ado, here is the next chapter of Alexandra Eaton.**

 **~ 4ever**

CHAPTER TWO:

"...inconclusive." Alexandra shot out of her chair. "The test is supposed to rule out all but one of the factions, but in your case, the test only ruled out one."

"WHAT?!" Alexandra cried. "But...but that's impossible." Natalie shakes her head, unplugging the wires. She takes a small knife from her sleeve and slices them.

"Not impossible," Natalie said grimly. "Just highly improbable. You chose the cheese instead of the knife, which is what an Amity would do. You stood your ground against the dog, which would be Dauntless, but your intelligent response with the dog suggests Erudite. You didn't let the dog harm the girl, which is Abnegation. On the other hand, you didn't tell the truth, which Abnegation and Candor do."

"So you have no idea what faction I got?" Alexandra asked. "Am I factionless?"

"Alexandra," Natalie said gently. "You're not factionless. And I actually do know what factions you got."

Alexandra felt better. At least she wasn't factionless. "So which faction did I get?" She asked, crossing her fingers and hoping it was Dauntless.

Natalie frowned. "You got Abnegation..." She said. Alexandra uncrossed her fingers with a sigh and made to stand up. Natalie pushed her back down firmly. She was much stronger than she looked. "...and Dauntless, and Amity, and Erudite."

Alexandra's mouth fell open and her eyes filled with tears. "So what do I pick?" She cried. "The test was supposed to tell me!"

"Alexandra, the test didn't work on you. They call it Divergent."

~o0o~

Alexandra thought long and hard about her test results. Mrs. Prior had told her that Beatrice was Divergent as well, and to stick close, as it would serve them well to watch one another's backs. Alexandra just hoped Beatrice didn't watch her back too closely.

She had been told to tell no one about her test results, no matter what. She'd been warned that Divergence is dangerous, and could even result in death.

When Alexandra got home, Marcus was there, waiting, with his belt already off. "What faction did you get?" He asked, motioning Alexandra to turn around and take off her shirt and bra. He brings the belt down, hard, on her bare back.

"Abnegation, sir," Alexandra said. She felt nothing. She'd learned how to tune out the pain, although this has also tuned out people who try to get close to her. She has trust issues. Another slash.

"And what are you going to choose tomorrow?" Again. And again. And again.

Talking during a beating made it hard to not feel anything. Tears sprung, unbidden, to Alexandra's eyes. "A-Abnegation, sir." He brought down the whip one more time, then wipes the blood – _her_ blood – from the belt off onto her arms and shoulders. He puts the belt back on and leaves, probably to get drunk again.

Alexandra went upstairs and took a shower, clenching her teeth as the warm water hit her wounds. She got out, dried off, then proceeded to wrap her back like she did for Tobias.

 _Tobias_. Will she see him tomorrow in Dauntless? She knows that he changed his name, but if only she could figure out to what.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER FOUR: TOBIAS'S POV

I wonder if Alexandra will show up tomorrow. I want her here, beside me, but I don't want her involved in any more violence. I sigh and walk to Zeke and Uriah's apartment. Zeke is my best friend, and his little brother, Uriah, is choosing tomorrow as well. They're both Dauntless-born, and Uriah fits in really well here, so I'm pretty sure he's going to choose to stay.

I knock on the door and Zeke answers. I've mentioned Alexandra to them a few times, but never in much detail. "Hey, man! Wassup?" I move past Zeke into the apartment. Uriah is sitting in an armchair watching TV. He gets up too.

"Hey, Four," he sees my solemn face. "Ooh, what's wrong, man?" Sheesh. Hang out with the same people for 2 years and they start noticing the difference between your solemn faces! Of which I have many. A solemn face is pretty much the only face I use.

Ever since I left Alexandra with that _monster_ , I haven't smiled much. Everything seems so grey without my ray of sunshine. I really, _really_ hope she transfers.

I plop down on the couch, and Uriah and Zeke sit on either side of me in armchairs. "So I told you guys about my sister, Alexandra, right?" They nod. "Well, tomorrow is her Choosing Ceremony, and I'm scared to death thinking that she's either going to transfer here or stay in Abnegation."

"Wow, the almighty Four is scared," Zeke says sarcastically.

"Dude, you're thinking WAY too much about this." Uriah says. "Come on, let's go party and hook up with chicks!" I sigh and nod assent. Partying is the Pedrad brothers' lives. It's pretty much all they think about.

We head to the Pit, where a party is going on. Wait, a party is _always_ going on on the Pit. Uriah heads over to his childhood best friend, Marlene. Zeke and I have been trying to get them together for weeks. They like one another and are always subconsciously flirting, but don't seem to realize it.

Zeke goes off to find his crush, Shauna. Same with them. Uriah and I are always pushing them together, finding ways to get them alone.

A scantily-clad blond bimbo makes her way over to me. "Heeeey, Four, wanna make out?" I roll my eyes. She's obviously drunk out of her mind. Women are all over me, but I don't want anything to do with them. I guess I'm waiting for the perfect girl.

A part of me wants Alexandra's approval. Isn't that funny? A guy wants his little sister's permission to date! I sigh and order a beer. Eric approaches me. We've been enemies ever since out initiation, when I got 1st place and he was 2nd. Even though he has the leadership job that he craved, he's afraid of me taking it away, because I was their 1st choice for it.

"Hey, Four." He says, sliding into the seat next to me and ordering a scotch. I study him warily out of the corner of my eye. He sighs, "Look, I still don't like you, but we need to get over this rivalry. I'm not talking best buds relationship, but we should at least be civil to one another. After all, we're going to be training the initiates together, like it or not."

I think this over. "Very well." I say, sticking out my hand to shake. He takes it and we seal the deal.

"So, I heard rumor that your little sis is choosing tomorrow. Is that true?" I nod. Eric knows about Marcus, only because I got a fever during initiation and he had to drag me to the infirmary and made me spill. "Tell me about her."

My voice softens, as it always does when I talk about my little sister. "Well, Alexandra's really brave, and smart, and funny, and kind. She has black hair and blue eyes, although they can change and either be dark blue when she's happy, or really light blue when she's sad or mad.

"We used to train together, starting when she was 11. We practiced all the activities we do here in Dauntless and even some we don't, but maybe should. We used to sneak over here at night to watch people party. We even got tattoos the night before I left."

Eric looks interested. "So you were 'bad Stiffs'?" I laugh and shrug.

"I guess you could put it that way," I say.

He looks around and lowers his voice, "Does Marcus do the same to her?" I sigh and nod, putting my head in my hands.

"He does, and even worse sometimes," I say, my voice muffled. His eyes widen.

"Worse than the belt?" His eyebrows raise. Is that... _concern_ in his voice?

I lift my head and look at him. "He used glass, knives, the belt... He mentally abused her a lot too, calling her worthless and the reason Mom died. He might have, um, sexually abused her after I left; I don't know." Eric's face fills with rage.

"How can anyone do this to their own children? Will she make it through initiation? With those kinds of wounds, she could be factionless."

I lift my chin proudly. "If she becomes factionless, then I will follow her." It's true. I would follow Alexandra to hell and back.

 **A/N: I thought it was funny that the chapter scroller thing says Chapter 3, but the story said Chapter 4, and it's Tobias's POV. Don't mind me; I have a weird sense of humor.**

 **Please review!**

 **~ 4ever**


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FIVE: *THE CHOOSING CEREMONY*

I step forward as my name was called by my "father". Today is _MY_ Choosing Ceremony, damn it, and I already know what I'm going to choose. My test results make no difference in my decision.

I make a big show of taking the knife from Marcus. The Dauntless bowl is to the left, Abnegation in the middle, the others to the right. I slice my palm and stick it over the Abnegation bowl, since I know Marcus would try to stop me if I'd thrust my hand immediately over the Dauntless bowl.

I watch as the droplet of crimson blood makes its way down my palm, agonizingly slow. I smile reassuringly at Marcus, then as soon as the droplet gets heavy enough to fall, I switch one bowl to the left.

 _Dauntless_.

The cheers from the sea of black drown out all the other noise. I give the knife back to Marcus, bloody tip first, and walk over to Dauntless.

I'm wearing tight, black, leather pants and a tight black racerback crop top underneath my loose, grey leggings and baggy, grey dress.

The clothes will show off my tattoos:

• The Dauntless flames on the back of my shoulder with the words "Be Brave" underneath, which I had gotten the night before Tobias's Choosing Ceremony,

• And the one that quotes the Dauntless Manifesto "We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage to stand up for one another" on the inside of my forearm, which I'd gotten just a few weeks ago.

I had packed my accessories in a black backpack and left it near the door. In it I'd stuffed: temporary hair dye, hair chalk, some broken black jewelry that I had fixed, and my ankle-length combat boots.

I decide I will take off my grey leggings on the train. I plan to jump first, so I will take off my Abnegation dress when I get up on the ledge and throw it at someone.

I sneak over to the door and take out my accessories. I clip on a black lace choker and slip a black, gold-studded bracelet on one arm, then pile 3 bangles on the other arm. I take off my large, grey watch and buckle on a slim, black one, with a small watch-face and a leather band.

The ceremony is a long blur of colors. I only paid attention to the Abnegation. Beatrice's brother, Caleb, transfers to Erudite, and Beatrice dropped her blood on the Dauntless coals.

Finally, the ceremony ended and the sea of black started running for the train tracks. I notice some of the transfers nearly getting trampled, but decide not to worry about them. I will enjoy my newly found freedom first.

I start to run, pacing myself so I won't run out of breath, but I'm still in way better shape than anyone else, even the Dauntless-born. I find myself running beside a dark-haired boy with a snake tattoo behind his ear, dressed in Dauntless black. "Hey," he pants, already out of breath. The pretty brunette, also in black, beside him is panting too.

"Hi!" I say, keeping my steady pace and not gasping for air like everyone else. "Are you guys a thing?" I gesture to the brunette and the boy. They shake their heads violently, both blushing.

"No!" says the girl, waiting for the train to round the corner. She leans over, putting her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She glances at me. "A Stiff with Dauntless jewelry?" She snorts. "A wannabe, Uriah." The boy looks me over critically.

I'm mad and clenching my fists, but I breath deeply and calm myself. It wouldn't be good to pick a fight before we even got to the Dauntless compound.

"I think she might last at least until the middle of Stage 1, Marlene." The boy – Uriah – says to the girl – Marlene, as if I'm not standing right here.

Marlene looks me over pityingly, "You won't last a day, honey. You'll be lucky to get on the train." I glare at her, and Marlene shrinks under my gaze, scared at the ferocity.

"Oh, I plan to last, _Marlene_." I say in a warning tone. I turn away from them and check my watch. "The train should be here soon." 15 seconds later, the train comes into view. Everyone starts running, but no one can catch me. I'm off like a shot. I jump on the train and hang out the door, helping in transfers and Dauntless-born alike.

I hold out my hand to a short, dark-haired girl dressed in Candor black and white, who latches on gratefully, just as the sidewalk beneath her feet disappears. Everyone lets out an audible gasp at the sight of a 'weak Stiff' holding onto another transfer, who's body is flying in the air, still mostly out the door. Several people start forward, but I'm determined to prove that I don't need their help. I pull the girl inside only a few seconds before we go through a narrow tunnel that would have pulled us both off the train.

The girl got up, dusted herself off, and offers her hand to me. "I'm Christina." She obviously doesn't expect me to take her hand, because Abnegation doesn't encourage physical contact, but to prove that I'm not Abnegation anymore, I do.

"Alexa," I say. Yeah, Alexa. It has a nice ring to it. And it was much better than Alexandra, which isn't a Dauntless name. It was also Tobias's nickname for me.

"I'll admit, you surprised me there. I thought I was a goner before we even got to the Dauntless compound." Christina says, still shocked by my strength.

I'm not tall, by any means, standing just over 5'3, about the same height as Beatrice, but I'm athletic and muscled. I look sweet and innocent, which could help me seem weak and an easy target during initiation. I smirk as I think about what might happen to the people who try to prey on me.

"What are you smiling about?" Christina asks.

I open my mouth to answer, but someone suddenly shouts, "They're jumping!" And they are. Jumping from the train onto the roof of a building, which I know from experience holds the initiates' way in.

I hold out one hand to Christina, who gives me a weird look, and the other I stretch out to Beatrice, who gladly takes it. "Together, girls?" They nod, and we all hold hands as I count, "1...2...3!"

Together we all jump, two inexperienced, one a pro, from a moving train onto the rooftop of a 7 story building.

I land perfectly, although my knees protest and landing on my feet sends prickles of pain up my back. Christina lands on her feet, stumbles, but manages to tuck and roll, coming out practically unscathed. Beatrice lands fairly well, but lost her balance and fell, scraping an elbow.

Christina raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain how you did that?" Again, I start to answer, but a piercing shriek came from the edge of the building, where a girl peered over the side, then threw up. A boy comforted her, holding her hair out of her face and rubbing her back.

I know immediately that someone must not have made it. My stomach twists, and I think I might lose my breakfast too. I'm filled with remorse and guilt, even though I know it isn't my fault. _Stupid Abnegation upbringing!_ Selflessness has been beaten into me from a young age...literally.

"Initiates, listen up. I'm Eric, one of the Dauntless leaders," a smooth, calculating voice says. I turn towards the hole in the building, where a young man with multiple face piercings, not much older than myself, stands. "You have passed your first test. There is one more. To reach the Dauntless compound, you must go through this." He gestures towards the hole.

Murmurs broke out amongst the other transfers. "Is there water at the bottom, or something?" An Erudite boy asks.

Eric sighed loudly. "Now what would be the point of telling you the answer?"

I know there is a net at the bottom, so I step forward. "I'll go," I say simply. More hushed whispers.

Eric raises a pierced eyebrow. "A... Stiff?" He asks, as if he expects me to take back my words.

I growl low in my throat. " _Don't_...call me...Stiff!" I say. Eric holds up his hands mockingly in surrender.

He gestures to the hole again, "Very well, Stiff, show the Dauntless-born how it's done." I can hear the sarcasm he instilled into his words, but I don't pay attention to it. This is obviously not the reaction he had hoped for, because he frowns slightly and glares at me.

I step up onto the wall. I had taken off the grey pants on the train, so I was wearing my 3/4 length black leggings and Abnegation dress. I pull off the dress, leaving me in a black crop top, which showcases my belly button ring, a Dauntless flame.

Catcalls came from all the boys and even some of the girls. Eric just stands there, mouth open and eyes roving over my figure. I glare at him, but he doesn't see it, because he's too busy checking me out. I wad up my dress and throw it at his chest, hard, making him emit a loud _Oomph!_

"You can keep it, Eric, it's too big for me, so it might look good on you!" Without waiting for him to process what I said, I turn so my back is to the hole.

"DAUNTLESS!" I yell, then do a perfect backflip into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has favorite, followed, and reviewed this story. Seeing the numbers and kind words never fail to make me smile. I hope you are enjoying the story.**

 **Now, onto Chapter Six.**

CHAPTER SIX: TOBIAS'S POV

Lauren and I stand by the net, waiting for the initiates. I heard talk that there were 2 Stiffs. Suddenly I see someone in black clothing get up on the wall and turn their back to the hole. They yell "DAUNTLESS!", then do a backflip into the net.

Lauren rushed forward to help my little sister out of the net. I saw her flinch slightly when she landed on her back, meaning Marcus probably whipped her before she chose. "Dauntless, right?" Lauren asks, sounding bored.

Alexandra shook her head and grinned. "Nope!" She said, popping the 'p'. "Abnegation." Lauren's jaw dropped.

"A Stiff? First to jump? Wearing Dauntless clothing? Unheard of!" Lauren's voice holds none of the boredom that was there a minute before. Instead there is pure amazement and shock.

"Name?" I asked Alexandra. I make eye contact, and am pleased to note her own widened as she met my gaze. I hope she recognizes me.

"Alexa." She said firmly. I guess she's been thinking a lot about transferring. Who am I kidding? She's been training for 5 years. Of course she knows her own nickname.

I place my hand on her shoulder, carefully avoiding her back, and lead her away, as the other Abnegation transfer lands in the net and lets out a small giggle. "Welcome to Dauntless, initiate," I say, then slip a folded piece of paper into her hand.

 **A/N: Sorry the chapter was so short. I currently have writer's block. Please give me some ideas. If I use it, I will be sure to give a shoutout to whoever suggested it.**

 **Please review!**

 **~ 4ever**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews! They really make my day. I would like to personally acknowledge:**

· **DauntlessBoy: I'm glad to hear that the wait is killing you. I like torturing my readers. XD, just kidding. I like keeping my readers on their toes.)**

· **emm3reading: I'm glad you don't find my story plagiarizing; I hate reading the same plots over and over. I guess some people just either like copying other peoples' stories, or can't think of their own. Thank you for reviewing!**

· **geishcc: Thank you! I always like hearing that people enjoy my writing.**

· **Guest: I'm happy you like it. Yes, this will be a fanfic with Chrill, Urlene, Sheke, Fourtris, and Eric/OC.**

 **So, this chapter has slight mentions of rape, but nothing graphical or life-scarring (I hope!).**

 **Btw, everyone except Alexa belongs to the lethal (but lovely) Veronica Roth. ALEXA IS MINE! Ok, I'm gonna shut up now and let you get back to the story. Onward!**

ALEXA'S POV:

Tobias slipped a note into my hand before he turned and introduced himself as Four. I guess that's his new name now. Christina gave him some lip, but he quickly shut her down.

Beatrice changed her name to Tris. It suits her. It makes her seem fiercer, this fragile-looking girl from Abnegation.

Eric lands in the net after all the transfers jump. He watches me carefully, like I'm going to try something. Poor thing. He must not be used to being treated like that. Too bad, crybaby. Alexa Eaton is here now and she plans on treating him like that for as long as she can talk – or point fingers, specifically, the middle one.

He must be greatly feared around here, because the news that I insulted him got out quickly, and now everyone is staring at me like I might explode. Who knows, I just might.

Tobias leads us down the maze of tunnels, which are carved out of real rock. Torches give off an eerie glow in even spaces along the walls. I tune Eric out as he explains where everything is. I've been here before; I know the layout.

Christina nudges me. "Did you not hear what Eric said?" She hisses in my ear. Her tone is worried. I look around and notice that everyone is staring at me.

I pick my fingernails, control my voice, and say in the most bored tone I could muster, "Could you repeat that please?"

Eric's voice is quiet, smooth, and deadly when he says, "I was just telling the other transfers where everything is. You, obviously, were off in your own world. Would you care to explain where the Pit, the Chasm, and the dormitories are?"

I smirk, although I make it look to the others like I am grimacing. "Sure," I say. Tobias is watching me, a caring and worried, but proud expression on his face. I look around and see that we're at a crossroad. I read a book about the Greek Gods from several centuries ago. Hecate was the goddess of crossroads and magic. I wave to each tunnel as I name it: "The Pit is that way, the dormitories are that way, where boys _and_ girls sleep –"

I am cut off by murmurings from the transfers. I cross my arms and glare at them. Eric is staring daggers at me, while Tobias is grinning. I take it he doesn't like Eric much. "May I continue?" I ask, with false sweetness underplayed with sarcasm. "The infirmary is that way. The Chasm is that way, 'Thin line between idiocy and stupidity', blah, blah, blah. The dining hall is that way, and dinner is in 27 minutes, so I suggest we all get ready."

Eric is still glaring at me. "You are dismissed, initiates," he says, still watching me like he is a predator bird, such as an eagle, and I am going to be his next snack. "All except the Stiff."

I laugh. "Which one?" I ask. The other transfers snigger, although they try to contain it.

"As it happens, you," he says. "I _said,_ you are dismissed." The other transfers scurry off. I see Christina take Tris by the arm and leave, down the tunnel towards the dormitories. She mouths, _If you get out of this alive, we'll see you at dinner._ I almost laugh out loud, but Eric is all up in my business, and I decide that laughing in his face wouldn't be taken kindly.

I cough. "Umm, Eric, ever heard of a personal bubble? You're kinda intruding in it." He pins me against the wall. I panic. This is exactly what Marcus did before he...violated me. For the first time. I clear my throat, trying to shake the memories. "Eric?" My voice comes out much more nervous and panicky then I'd like. "Personal space issues?"

He brings his face close enough to mine to say, "I don't like people embarrassing me."

Black spots dance in the corner of my vision. Damnit. I'm close to passing out.

"Do you understand me?" His voice growls in my ear, bringing back the memories that I've spent so much time holding back.

 ***Flashback***

 _"_ _You little b****!" My father. He's home. He doesn't take off his belt, for which I am glad. Instead, he's going to verbally abuse me. He continues to tell me that I am the reason my mother died, the reason for all his pain, the reason he beats Tobias._

 _Something inside me snaps. "IT IS NOT MY FAULT MY MOTHER IS DEAD! YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELF!_ YOU _ARE THE ONE AND ONLY F-ING REASON TOBIAS LEFT, AND WHY YOU WHIP HIM AND ME!"_

 _He growls deep in his throat and stalks towards me. He unbuckles his belt and pulls it through the belt loops of his pants, tauntingly, I think. Instead of raising it and ordering me take my shirt off, he unzips his pants and drops them._

 _My eyes widen. I'm only 13! I've barely even looked at the picture of men's bodies that I've learned about in school. Heck, we've barely even learned the basics. I think the only thing we know is the name of the 'lady bits' and the 'manly part'._

 _I'm not ready for this._

 _"_ _You belong to me. You always have; you always will." He advances on me until my back bumps against a wall. Slowly, teasingly, he brings a small knife up and cuts down the middle of my shirt, right between my breasts._

 _The knife leaves a small line along my stomach, which wells up with red liquid. Blood. More specifically,_ my _blood._

 _"_ _Understand, slut?" He growls in my ear._

 _I think I pass out then, thankfully. I wake up on the floor with multiple tiny red lines on my thighs and upper arms._

 _It was the first time. And it wouldn't be the last._

 ***End Flashback***

"Eric!" I gasp, before the stars overcome my vision, blocking out his form, with it's now-worried face. My knees give way and my body meets the floor.

 **A/N: I'm an author just starting out, so I am always excited to find review, new followers, favorites, and views. Please continue to make me happy :).**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Review, follow, favorite...You know the drill! XD.**

 **~ 4ever**


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER EIGHT: ERIC'S POV

It's amazing how much someone can get on your nerves. After the Stiff jumped, taking off her grey dress and revealing Dauntless clothes that clung to her curves, showing off a _belly button ring_ , I've been fascinated by her.

Four called her a rebel, but I didn't think that she would be _this_ much of one! I expected her to be shy, timid, modest, but with tattoos. He told me they had gotten some, and I saw them. They fit her, somehow making her look even _more_ Dauntless.

She looked like she would last. She didn't hold herself inwardly, like the other Stiff; instead she stood up straight, and somehow, even though she was at least a foot shorter than me, she looked tall. She looked like a trained warrior. She looked _proud._

She insulted me right before she jumped. Laughter filled my ears and I saw red for a moment before I calmed down. Icy Eric came out. I would not show mercy on her. Four asked me to rank her, since he was her brother. I thought about taking off points just for insubordination.

She was the first jumper. I expected nothing less from her. Then she stood up against me again, telling the transfers things I hadn't even explained to them yet.

She laughed at me. Right in my face. I admit, it was a nice sound, echoing like fairy bells around the tunnels, but...I jerked out of my daydream. It didn't sound nice. I didn't find her interesting.

 _Keep telling yourself that,_ a little voice in my head taunted. _Maybe if you repeat it enough, you'll believe it._

I dismiss the transfers, all except her. I wave Four away when he glances at me and his sister, who is still standing tall and proud. He looks worried, but brushes it off and leaves, sending me a parting glare as he walks away. I watch his retreating form, then turn to the Stiff.

She has bravery, but she's not going to get far with that attitude of hers. I step closer to her. Her face is smooth, but I see fear in her eyes. Good. She _should_ fear me.

Alexa coughs. "Umm, Eric, ever heard of a personal bubble? You're kinda intruding in it." I pin her to the wall, my hands on her shoulders. They are strong, but small. I bet she can pack a punch.

"Eric?" Her voice is breathy, but not in a flirtatious way. She's frightened. "Personal space issues?" I don't care. She made a fool of me...thrice.

I lean in so close our noses are almost touching. "I don't like people embarrassing me."

She looks like she's going to pass out, but I ignore the twinge of concern that I feel for her when I see her small, pinched face. She's pale. I didn't think I scared her that much.

"Do you understand me?" I growl in her ear.

"Eric!" Alexa gasps. She looks like she's fighting an internal battle. She looks past me at someone who's not there; her eyes widen, her breaths come in short, ragged bursts, then she slumps to the ground.

"Shit!" I swear. What did I do? I didn't think she'd be so scared that she would faint. I lift her in my arms; she barely weighs anything. Bringing out my inner Erudite, I survey her. She's underweight, at least for her size and age.

I think about what I did wrong as I fast-walk towards the infirmary. People stop and stare as I cross the Pit; they don't bother me. **(A/N: Anyone get that movie reference? Shoutout to whoever answers.)**

I feel terrible. The poor girl has already endured such mental trauma in her short life, I didn't think what memories my anger might bring up. Shit.

When I reach the infirmary, Hana, Uriah and Zeke's mother, is on duty. "What the —"

I look down at the unconscious girl. "Hana, she fainted." Hana rolls her eyes at me, the only person I allow to do that. She's pretty much everyone's mother, even the adults.

"So I see, Eric," she says, sarcasm clear in her voice. "Set her down over there." She waves in the vague direction of a bed, clearly not paying attention, looking through her computer at Alexa's file.

I set Alexa down on the bed. How could I have done this to her? I knew about her abusive past, but I didn't stop and think about what might happen if I pushed her too much.

"Well, Eric," Hana says, sitting on a spinning stool at Alexa's side, "It seems that Alexa here is severely depressed. I'm not going to tell you the other things; that will be up to her." I clench my fists.

"Hana," I say through gritted teeth, "I need to know. I can't let Alexa participate in training if she doesn't feel up to it. We don't need another Jacob." Jacob died during training from a stray bullet, caused by another initiate claiming to be alright after being knocked out and receiving a concussion and shooting guns only a few hours after.

Hana nods agreement. "But I still refuse to let you hear or read Alexa's private information. That will be for me, and _only_ me, to know. She will have to tell you if she decides to trust you."

I sigh. "Let me guess. She has trust issues as well?" Hana nods, standing up and patting my shoulder.

"It's not her fault, Eric," she murmurs in my ear, so low only I can hear her. I know it's not her fault; it's that bastard Marcus's. I want to find him, and punch him so hard he can't see straight. Or maybe just kill him.

A weak voice interrupts my thoughts, "Eric?" I turn, and see Alexa, trying, and failing, to sit up in bed. I frown and push her back down.

"Don't move, Alexa," I say, trying to make my voice sound soothing and comforting. She gives up and studies me warily, like I might pounce at any time. "Look, Alexa," I begin, then stop. "I just wanted to say...I'm sorry." Her eyes widen, like she hadn't been expecting that. I sigh and run my hands through my hair. "Four told me about...your father."

I'm surprised at how fast that weak, timid little voice turned ferocious. "That _man_ is no father of mine!" She spits out, as if the words are burning her mouth.

"I know, Alexa," I say. "I'm sorry. I lost control. I won't do it again, I promise. Just...please just tell me what exactly he did to you so I know what _not_ to do."

She looks up at me with her large blue eyes, startlingly like Four's, only more feminine. Four told me that her eyes changed colors depending on her mood, but I hadn't really believed him...until now.

When she arrived at Dauntless, happy, her eyes were a bright, shining, electric blue. Now, she looked sad and her eyes were more midnight blue, like Four's, but with small flecks of celery green and gold.

She clears a throat and I jump, embarrassed to be caught staring. "Uh..." She looks terrified. I can understand why: she's going to tell a near stranger her life story about her abusive father. "Well, it started with just To-Four."

I smile at her, a real smile, not the creepy, unsettling one that I use on people who piss me off. "I know his name."

She smiles back, albeit weakly. "Well, Tobias was, ironically, _four,_ when our mother died. Marcus started whipping Toby, and he slapped or punched me occasionally. Over the years, it got worse. He, uh, did _it_ with me, the first time being when I was 13."

I clench my fists. How could any...man...do that to their children? Alexa continues, "When Tobias left, he turned the beatings for two onto one. Namely, me." She smiles ruefully. "This went on until I left."

I give her my best puppy eyes. "Can I see?"

Alexa looks at me out of the corners of her eyes, as if she's not sure why I care. "Um, are you sure?" She asks. I nod. She sighs and turns so her back is facing me. She lifts her shirt to around her neck. "If you want to see it all, you have to, uh, unclasp..." I can hear the blush in her voice, although her face is turned away and her head is down.

I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. She's so cute. Wait, _what?!_ I can't crush on an initiate!

I unhook her bra carefully and draw in a sharp breath.

Her back is _literally_ in tatters. It's the worst injury I've ever seen, even surpassing Four's. There are indents from, I'm assuming, the belt buckle. The flesh is red and raw, but thankfully not infected.

I re-clasp her bra and pull her shirt back down. I can't trust my voice, because I'll just start shouting if I open my mouth, and I don't want to scare her. She must realize this because she breaks the silence. "Uh, that's not all. He cut me too."

I stand up and start pacing. I check my anger and say in my calmest voice, "Can I kill him?"

She laughs nervously. "No." My face obviously shows disappointment, because she laughs again, this time with more merriment. It sounds like the tinkling of crystal bells. " _I'm_ going to kill him."

I laugh along with her, and it feels nice. She speaks shyly. "Um, Eric, why do people say you're mean? You're much nicer than I expected you to be, from the stories I've heard about you."

I shrug and say, "Everyone thinks that I'm a sadistic asshole, so they never come near me. They think that I've slept with half of the Dauntless compound, and after a while, I just never bothered trying to correct them."

"Have you?" She asks. "Slept with half the compound, I mean." I shake my head vigorously.

"No. In fact, I've never, uh, slept with anyone." I scratch the back of my neck, something I do when I'm nervous or uncomfortable. Her face softens.

Abruptly changing the subject, as her face had started glowing pink, she says, "When can I leave?"

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know in a review *puppy dog eyes* XD**

 **~ 4ever**


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER NINE: ALEXA'S POV

I'm cleared to leave, just in time for dinner, and Eric walks me to the dining hall. He coughs nervously. "Um, Alexa, thank you for sharing with me what, um, happened to you."

I smile at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I study him. He's handsome. I wish I wasn't an initiate.

I wonder why I trusted him with my entire life story. I just sense an air of something about him, like he's had his share of sorrow and pain. Maybe it's because he already knew. Why did Toby tell him?

We arrive at the dining hall and Eric waves me in first. I spot my friends at a table along with the rest of the transfers. Christina waves me over, and as I hurry over, I see Tris poking her hamburger cautiously, as if it might suddenly bite.

I sit down across from them, beside a chestnut-curled girl I remember was wearing Amity red and yellow. I smile at her, "Hi, I'm Alexa," I say. I need to come out of the shell Marcus shoved me into.

She smiles back shyly. "Hello, Alexa. I'm Harmony." Her voice is melodic, and it sounds perfect for singing. Harmony really is the perfect name for her. "My friends all call me Mona, but since I left them all in Amity..." She trails off. I feel sorry for her.

I grin at her. "Well, _Mona,_ you're here now, and I'll be your friend." She cheers up immediately and beams, showing small, pearly teeth.

Just then, Eric comes in. The noise change is instantaneous. It goes from rowdy to silent. Completely. The only noise is the slight squeaking of his shoes as he comes over to our table and plopping down on my other side. He waves a hand, and everyone turns back to whatever they were doing.

"Hello, Alexa," he says, ignoring everyone except me. "I see you've managed to stay conscious for—" he checks his watch "—approximately 5 minutes. Congratulations!" I know he's trying to taunt me, so I bite the inside of my cheek and stay silent.

Christina pokes me, "What does he mean?" She asks under her breath. Unfortunately, Eric overhears her and smiles, not a real one, but one that foretells trouble.

"Oh, Alexa here can't seem to stay on her feet around me." I glare at him and he smiles beatifically.

The table gets a good laugh at my expense. "So not true!" I protest. I look around and note everyone:

3 Erudite, 1 girl and 2 boys – Myra, Will, and Edward

3 Candor, 1 girl and 2 boys – Christina, Peter, and Al

2 Abnegation – Me and Tris

2 Amity – Harmony and another girl that I learn later is named Echo

Myra and Edward appear to be dating. I heard wind that Edward has been training for years; Myra seems like the kind of sappy girl who would follow their guy anywhere.

Christina and Will have been eyeing one another. Peter seems like a jerk, although he looks strong, ruthless, and cunning. Al is like a teddy bear.

Harmony seems nice. Echo is like her name: a copycat. I swear she doesn't have a whole brain cell in her blonde head.

Tris is puny, but she seems determined to stay. And me...I will _not_ be factionless!

I reach for the plate of hamburgers. Tris is sitting beside Tobias, who told her what the meat patties were. As I listen to Christina babbling about all the clothing shops in the Pit, I carefully look over my brother.

He looks strong and well-fed. I expected nothing less from him; he's always been a hard worker and he eats like a pig! It doesn't hurt that the food here is to die for.

I interrupt Christina and turn to Tobias. My eyes twinkling in the way that only he knows about, I say, "Uh, Four?" He turns away from Eric, who is smiling smugly. What the heck? The table stops talking and watches us like we're their entertainment.

Tobias finally gets his anger under control and asks, "What, initiate?" He notices my dancing, mischievous eyes and the corners of his mouth pull down like they do when he's trying not to smile. I have this habit too.

"I was wondering if you've seen my brother? He transferred a couple years ago. Was he in your initiation class?" I see Eric stifle a laugh.

He turns his face somber, although his eyes meet mine and I see the hidden humor. "Yes, he was in my class." I smile and open my mouth to speak, but he cuts me off. "Unfortunately, he threw himself in the Chasm after Stage 2."

I mock-groan; no one at the table will know the difference except Tobias, since we grew up together. "Oh? What, was he too much of a coward?" I make my voice mocking and fake-sweet.

That does it. Eric, Tobias, and I burst into laughter. Tobias is red in the face, while Eric is holding his sides. I have tears running down my face. The entire table is watching us like we're nuts.

"That's not funny!" Al says furiously. "A guy _died,_ and you're _laughing_?"

I wipe my cheeks and look at the two men, who are still laughing. Eric regains his composure, but Tobias falls off the bench, which makes me burst into another peal of laughter. Eric glances at the tears streaming from my eyes and Tobias, rolling around on the floor, and which sets _him_ off again too.

After another few minutes, we finally stop laughing. All the transfers are staring at us. Scratch that, the entire _dining hall_ is staring at us. I nudge Eric, meeting his gaze and flicking my eyes away, making him follow my line of vision. He turns to everyone and yells, "What are you looking at?" His tone makes everyone flush and turn away.

The table is quiet. Finally, Tris breaks the awkward silence by asking, "Why did you laugh when you heard your brother pitched himself into the Chasm? Is Dauntless really that sadistic?"

I look at Tobias, and he nods ever so slightly. I clear my throat. "Because my brother still very much alive; in fact, he's right here in this room."

* * *

 **A/N: Whee! Will she reveal that Four is her brother?**

 **I love all of you guys *gets teary-eyed***

 **Please drop a review!**

 **~ 4ever**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: OMG, I AM SOOOO SORRY! My computer got taken away and I couldn't write because all my stories were on it. Forgive me? *puppy eyes***

 **So before you kill me, here is the next chapter of Alexandra Eaton.**

 **~ 4ever**

* * *

The table leans closer to hear me. I glance at Tobias again and he nods, re-confirming that I can tell them.

"Four here is my brother," I say proudly.

Everyone is silent for a minute, then they explode.

"Can I be your friend?"

"Can you help me during training?"

"Wanna meet me in a private room, sweetheart?" Peter asks with a sly smirk.

Ew.

"Just so you know, everyone: I'm only friends with people who want to be friends with me regardless of who my brother is; I will help people during training if you need it and ask politely; and _NO_ , Peter, I do _not_ want to meet me in a private room and I am _not_ your sweetheart."

Tobias glares around the table. "You pay attention to those words, initiates, because if you don't, I will not be responsible for my actions."

Everyone goes back to eating, but they occasionally glance my way with awed expressions.

Towards the end of dinner, Eric says, "Mess with Four's sister—"

I interrupt him indignantly. "I have a _name!_ A-lex-a! Say it."

He continues as if I hadn't spoken: "Mess with _Four's sister_ and I will personally make you factionless."

" _A-lex-a!_ " I yell.

He fixes me with a cold stare. "Alexandra," he says in an emotionless voice, low and dangerous.

I shiver and get up to sit beside Tobias, who is engaged in conversation with Tris about former factions. He puts a comforting arm around me and whispers, "Lexa, do you want to go?"

I nod gratefully and stand up, stretching. "I'm tired," I say, faking a yawn.

Eric looks at me closely, and it's as if he can see everything about me: the lies, the pain, the truth...

"Are you all right, Alexandra?" He asks.

I glare at him. "My name is ALEXA!"

I turn to Tobias, who is standing behind me. "Let's go, T-Four."

Shit, I almost said his real name! I need to get used to calling him Four.

We leave and he leads me down a tunnel, not toward the dorms, so I assume he's taking me to his apartment.

"You need to stop provoking Eric, Lexa. He doesn't take kindly to it, and your attitude and mouth are just going to get you in trouble."

I look at the ground and scuff it with the toe of my boot. "Seems like he doesn't take kindly to much," I mutter.

Tobias—no, _Four—_ snorts and agrees. "And just so you know, he can't show favoritism, so that's why I'm getting him to rank you."

I stop so suddenly Four almost runs into me, but catches himself. "Are you fucking _kidding_ me?" I ask, trying to control my anger. "He'll take away points just for looking at him!"

I can't do this. I push past Four and run. I don't know where; I just have to get away. I pay no attention to where my feet are taking me.

I hear Four calling after me to stop and wait up, but I keep my head down and sprint across the Pit.

Dinner is over, so everyone is milling around until they absolutely have to go to bed. Eric sees me and also starts running after me, but I'm still faster than either if them, since I'm so small and light. It also helps that I've been running for years.

I suddenly realize where I'm headed. The Chasm.

Eric must realize this too, because he puts in a burst of speed, but I notice and start full-out running, which is a _lot_ faster than what I was going.

Eric's breaths are coming in short, ragged bursts, but I maintain my pace, hoping to outrun him.

Once, when the whippings got really bad, Tobias and I were ready to escape into a different life, preferably the after one. We were only seven. Sheesh, what kind of kid wants to die when they're seven?

Rhetorical question.

"Alexa!" Eric gasps. I'm pleased he used my nickname, since Alexandra always reminds me of Marcus. "Don't jump!"

I scoff, and arrive at the edge of the Chasm. It looks so big, the roaring water beneath me, the huge, jagged rocks ready to smash any body that was fool enough to jump.

I close my eyes and...

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, everyone! Again, I'm SOO sorry! I wish I could have given you a longer chapter, but I have stuff to do and this was the best I could come up with.**

 **Please check out my new community: Best of the Wizarding World. It's small now, but I assure you that it will become larger the more I read FFN. I could really use some help, so if you want to be Staff, please PM me and let me know.**

 **Please drop a review and follow/favorite! I'm so lucky for all of you!**

 **Can we get the views up to 2000? It would be such an honor! Please? *puppy eyes***

 **I love all of you, and I hope you can forgive me for making you all wait so long for this chapter.**

 **~ 4ever**


	10. Chapter 10

_"Alexa!" Eric gasps. I'm pleased he used my nickname, as Alexandra always reminds me of Marcus. "Don't jump!"_

 _I scoff, and arrive at the edge of the Chasm. It looks so big, the roaring water beneath me, the huge, jagged rocks ready to smash any body that was fool enough to jump._

 _I close my eyes and..._ run down the narrow path leading to a small clearing that Tobias— _Four!—_ and I used to hang out around. No one can see the clearing from above, so they never noticed us.

I hear a sigh of relief, then the scuffling of shoes walking down the pebble-covered trail. I perch myself on a large rock that is shaped like a sofa. It has a tall back, and lumpy armrests, and it's hard as, well, a rock, but I love it anyway.

Eric sits on next to me, and doesn't speak for a minute. He's still panting for breath. After silence, he says, "You nearly gave me a heart attack, Alexandra."

I shiver, and scoot farther away from him. _I really wish he wouldn't call me that._

Eric looks at me, surprised. "I won't call you anything you don't want me to call you." He says, his normally gruff voice softening.

It's my turn to be surprised. I guess I said that out loud. "I'm sorry," I say, shaking my head, "it's just...Marcus called me Alexandra all the time, and look how well _that_ ended up." I can't keep the bitterness out of my voice, and I know Eric heard it.

"Look, Alexa, I know people call me a sadistic bastard, and maybe it's because I _am_ one. But let me tell you one thing: I will never, _ever_ harm you or any other girl. I swear."

I wipe my eyes and scoot back closer to Eric. He smells nice, like pines and something comforting, like warm bread fresh from the oven. I subconsciously snuggle into him, and he wraps an arm around me.

"Alexa," he says, shaking me gently. "Alexa, you can't fall asleep here; you have to go to Four's apartment or the dorms."

"Mmm," I murmur sleepily. "What?" My eyes rebel, and close without me telling them to.

Eric sighs and shifts. I complain, and he stands up, scooping me into his arms. I peek through my lashes as he carefully makes his way back up the narrow path. It feels nice to be here cradled against his firm chest. I wonder how much he works out.

If his chest is this solid and hard, I wonder what his...Whoa, Alexa, calm down! You can't crush on your instructor!

 _Tobias is crushing on the other Abnegation transfer,_ a voice nags in my mind. I settle further into Eric's arms and give up the struggle with my heavy eyelids.

* * *

 **A/N: You should all know that I would never kill Alexandra—sorry, _Alexa—_ off. She's my baby!**

 **Eric was a bit OOC here, and if you don't care for him that way, I understand and apologize.**

 **I'm so sorry for the short chapter. My writing schedule has been off. As I said in my HP fanfic, Darkness Within the Light, I recently got braces, and my mouth _really_ hurts, so please cut me some slack. **

**I am _so_ thankful for all of you! I admit, I never thought AE could be this popular...Did you know that I have over 2,400 views? **

**Can we please** **get me to, let's say, 25 reviews? It would mean a lot to me.**

 **If you are a fan of Harry Potter, please check out my community, Best of the Wizarding World. You can find it on my profile page, and it has, in my opinion, some of the best fanfics. It is small right now, so let me know if you think your story should be in there and I'll read it. I could really use some help, so PM me if you want to become Staff.**

 **How many fears should Alexa have in her landscape, and what should they be? Let me know in a review! I take all ideas seriously.**

 **Sorry for the long Author's Note.**

 **~ Via (I just got tired of closing with "4ever". Via makes me feel closer to all of you.)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: OMG, this story has over 3,000 views! Thank you all so much! Please follow/favorite/review. It helps me go faster ;)**

* * *

ERIC'S POV:

I look down at the sleeping girl in my arms. She's very pretty, with glossy dark hair falling over her shoulders in soft waves and dreamy, midnight-blue eyes which are currently closed and framed by long dark eyelashes.

She has tattoos. And a belly-button ring!

I think I even saw a piercing when she stuck her tongue out at Four. I wonder what that, combined with her soft, full lips would feel around my...Stop it! I can already feel a slight tightening of my pants, so I try to think about disgusting things...which turn out to be more lewd thoughts about Alexa. This isn't working.

I definitely need a cold shower.

If Four knew what I was thinking about his baby sister, he would castrate me. And then kill me. Although I have a slight suspicion that Alexa could probably take on her brother, despite her petite size.

 _What I wouldn't give to watch Alexa cream her big brother._

Speaking of whom, here he comes.

"Did you hospitalize my sister again?" Four asks, glancing at Alexa, asleep in my arms.

I shook my head. "No. That was an accident, I swear!"

Four punches me hard on the shoulder.

I curse, and would have grabbed my shoulder if not for Alexa in my arms. "Ow!" I exclaim, in a soft voice so as not to wake Alexa. "What the fuck was that for?"

Alexa opened her eyes. They are now sky blue. "Four, don't punch Eric. He didn't know that I would pass out. It was an accident, Toby, promise."

Four's expression softens slightly. Sheesh, if anyone other than his sister had called him Toby, he probably would have knocked them out cold, or quickly shut them down, if it was a girl.

 _"Fine."_ He agrees, rather dramatically. Alexa giggles, and I am entranced. Her laugh is sweet and melodic, and I can hear the amusement underneath the sound of bells.

She reaches out her arms to her brother, and I hand her over. She snuggles into Four's chest, and I feel a pang. I want to be the person she cuddles. I want the power to make her giggle. I want to be the person she comes running to if she has a bad dream, or if someone picks on her.

I realize something: I want _her._

* * *

 **A/N: I realize that the past few chapters were super short, but I am _super_ busy right now. Please excuse me. **

**I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has ever clicked on this story. You guys are my life.**

 **If we can get the reviews up to 23, I would really appreciate it. It makes me smile, and it helps me write faster and update more often. Please? For me?**

 **Also, my work is being judged by my father. He doesn't think that Fanfiction is good for me, so help me prove that people like my writing. If you favorite/review/follow, he may allow me to keep writing.**

 **Thanks!**

 **~ Via**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you all so much for even just clicking on this story! It never hurts to press that little button down there and review *wink wink* Come on...you know you want to!**

* * *

 **Alexa's POV:**

When I wake up, I'm in an unfamiliar apartment. The walls are white with faint grey undertones, and the black furniture is spare. I deduce that it is a man's apartment, and when my brother steps out of the bathroom with nothing on except a t-shirt and a towel around his waist, I know I was correct.

"You live here?" I ask, looking around. "It's nice, if not a bit...plain."

Tobias looks down. "I, uh...wanted some feminine advice, so I waited to see if you were going to show up to decorate. You don't have to help," he adds hurriedly, "If you don't want to."

I launch myself off the couch and hugs him. He looks surprised, but quickly reciprocates.

"What time is it?" I yawn widely, burrowing my face into my brother's chest. Tobias laughs.

"My little lioness," he says fondly. "Oh, it's almost time for breakfast. You should probably eat something, even just a piece of toast or something. You're going to need your strength."

I nod and look up at Tobias. "Toby, will I make it through initiation?"

He lets go of me and steps back, looking me straight in the eye. "Alexa, I have no doubt that you are Dauntless through and through. You will have no problem with Stage One, the physical training, but Stage Two might be a bit trickier. What were your Aptitude test results?"

I frown and look anywhere but Tobias. He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. "Alexa, it's alright. I'm Divergent, too. Now, what were your results?"

Of course I can trust my brother. Right?

"Dauntless..."

He nods. "I expected that."

"Erudite..."

"That, too."

"Abnegation..."

" _Three?_ " His eyebrows raise slightly.

I clear my throat. "Um, not three."

"Then how many? Did you just tack Abnegation on?"

I shake my head. "And Amity."

Tobias's eyebrows disappear into his hairline. _"FOUR?!_ You got _four_ results?!"

I nod. "It's scary, Toby," I admit, burying my face back into his shoulder. He pats me on the back, rubbing soothing circles like he used to when we were kids.

"Just...act like a Dauntless. Perform the tasks like a Dauntless would. Face things like a Dauntless would. You should be safe. Promise me one thing, though."

"What?" I ask, my voice muffled by Tobias's shirt.

"Try to stay away from Eric; he's bad news."

I raise my head. "Why?"

"He hunts us. Divergents. Apparently we're a 'threat' to the city." He even makes the air-quotes.

"Why?" I ask, bemused. "Aren't we special?"

Tobias shakes his head. "It's...complicated. See, we _are_ special; they just don't see it that way. They think that, because we don't fit into a single faction, we're dangerous. They're hunting us, and when they discover Divergents, they kill them."

I gasp. "But...that's horrible!"

Tobias nods grimly. "Just stay away from Eric, and you'll be fine. If you get through Stage Two fine, without drawing attention to yourself, you ought to be left well alone."

I nod, though my heart isn't into it. Something about Eric draws me to him...

"So, Lexi, got any Dauntless guys in mind?" Tobias asks, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I blush. "No!" I protest. "Definitely not. How about you, Mister I-can't-keep-my-eyes-off-the-Stiff? You know, if you want her to like you back, you should probably leave off the name-calling and insulting of her– _our_ –old faction."

"I don't like her!" He protests, though his red face implies differently. "Come on, Lexi, just drop it already. Let's go get some breakfast."

* * *

We arrive at the dining hall within minutes, although it would have taken longer with my short legs if Tobias hadn't crouched in front of me and let me jump up onto his back like I used to when we were kids.

We're within view of the people in the dining hall, but thankfully, we can't be heard.

I can feel Tobias's raised scars through his shirt and trace them with the tips of my fingers. He tenses, but immediately relaxes.

"Alright, Lexi, off you get. I can't have everyone thinking I'm wrapped around your little finger."

"Oh, but brother dearest," I giggle, "You are!"

He chuckles and agrees. "But my initiates can't know that. Come on—off!"

Instead of just sliding backwards off Tobias's back, I climb up onto his shoulders and sit there, then launch myself over his head. I hear gasps throughout the cafeteria as I spin through the air, but I just arch my body into a diagonal and spin twice, landing and immediately rolling. I stand up and brush myself off, and Tobias claps—along with everyone else who saw me.

"Oops," I mumble. "That might not have been the best entrance. Now people know what I can do."

Tobias sighs. "Just...be careful, Lexi; promise?"

"I swear on our dead mother's grave."

* * *

 **A/N: Ohhh! She swears on her mother's grave, eh? Wonder how well that promise will work... Find out in the next chapter!**

 **I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I kinda neglected it, didn't I? Well, I will attempt to pay equal attention to all of my stories.**

 **For readers of Faction High: I'm sort of stuck. PM me with ideas, please! I need all the help I can get!**

 **~ Via**

 **P.S. If you get me to 30 reviews, I'll let the person who wrote the 30th review PM me with a new character! The OC can be based off of anyone in the world as long as you don't use** **descriptions _and_ names. Please review! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent, no matter how many times I wish upon a Shooting Star...or a Shooting Knid.**

* * *

 **Tobias's POV:**

Alexa eats hardly anything at breakfast—just a piece of toast, and she nibbles it and holds it as though it will be taken away from her at any minute. I guess her stomach is rebelling against food from being starved so much by Marcus. I can sympathize. I was the same way when I arrived at Dauntless.

After everyone arrives and grabs something to eat, I stand up and announce, "Follow me."

Eric and I lead the way to the training room for the transfers. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. Does he think I don't notice the way he looks at Alexa? He isn't good enough for her. No, Roger that. He isn't _good_ for her. No one is good enough for my baby sister, and especially not the leader of the people hunting Divergents.

I still can't believe that Alexa got _four_ factions on her Aptitude test. I probably should have known. She was incredibly smart, always getting straight A's in school, amazingly tough, both in body and soul, kind and compassionate to anyone and everyone (who deserved it), and she was always naturally selfless, much more so than I was.

We arrive at the training room, and Eric orders them to spread out. ("Spread out, idiots!") He then says, "Initiates, Four and I here will be showing you some of the basic moves. You will then practice on the punching bags." He turns to me. "Ready?"

"Bring it on," I say, moving my arms to position.

Eric lashes out, aiming for my shoulder. I duck and roll to the side, punching him on the hip as soon as I pop back up. He staggers slightly, but recovers rapidly, retaliating and sending a fist towards my nose. I lean to the side and let Eric's momentum make him stumble past me. He doesn't even hit me. He whips around and punches me in the stomach, hard. I double over, but recover quickly and turn and shove him using my entire body weight. He lands flat on his back and I straddle him, raising my fist over his face. "Surrender?" I ask.

"Never," he says.

I hold myself on my left arm and push my right forearm into his neck, just enough to cut off his air supply. "How about now?"

Eric coughs and glares at me. "Surrender," he agrees reluctantly. I get off him and offer him a hand, but he swats it away and climbs to his feet by himself. He turns to the initiates and barks, "Find a punching bag and start working!"

Everyone scrambles for the nearest punching bag, not wanting to face Eric's wrath. Smart cookies. Peter is fighting Alexa for a bag, and I open my mouth to tell him off, since Alexa was there first, but she has it covered. She crouches and sweeps her leg around, fast, at Peter's ankles, making them fly out from under him. He lands hard on his back.

"Stay out of my sight, moron, unless you want more," Alexa says. She prods the family jewels with the toe of her boot, and every male in the room winces in sympathy.

Christina gives Alexa a thumbs-up, and Alexa smirks around the room. Everyone's looking at her warily, now, and they can obviously see she can hold her own, even though Peter was about 100 pounds heavier than Alexa. She won't be getting any favoritism here, especially not with me as a brother.

"Get to work!" Eric yells. The initiates turn to their punching bags and begin punching—sloppily. I see Alexa doing roundhouse kicks and right hooks and lots of other moves that we learned in Abnegation when we self-trained.

Tris is punching well, if a bit weakly, but her posture is a bit sloppy. I walk over to her and stand behind her, watching her for a moment. When she stops briefly, I put my hand on her flat stomach. Her waist is small, and the tips of my fingers brush one ribcage while the heel of my hand is on the other. "Keep tension here," I tell her, trying to ignore the tingles that ran up my arm as soon as I touched her. She nods, and goes back to work, her punches stronger now.

This goes on for another 45 minutes, at which point I tell them to take a break. Everyone except Alexa has their shirts plastered to them with sweat, but my baby sis barely broke a sheen.

"There will be fights later on in Stage 1 training, when your pathetic excuses for punching get better," says Eric. "We will be working on knife-throwing, now. Four, show 'em."

I pick up some of the highest-quality knives on the table and turn to the target. I breathe in, and out, haul my arm back, and throw. The knife hits just outside the center of the chest. I continue, making the knives land mere millimeters from one another.

"Get to work, initiates."

The initiates scramble for knives, squabbling like a flock of birds. Finally, everyone has three mismatched knives; only Alexa, Tris, Christina, and Edward actually haveones that are any good. I'm almost positive that Alexa told her friends what to pick. Hopefully she doesn't keep walking them step by step through initiation.

They arrange themselves in front of a target, fidgeting into an odd interpretation of my stance. Alexa hisses instructions to Christina, who winks a thanks and adjusts her body accordingly. Edward is helping his girlfriend, Myra, who seems useless so far. Tros has perfectly replicated my posture without any help from anyone. The others are all struggling to stand properly, with varying degrees of success. Molly and Drew are completely hopeless, and it seems that Peter had given up on his minions.

Everyone begins throwing. Tris hits the target first of the initiates—even Alexa, although I think Alexa wanted her Abnegation friend to feel better and more secure in her abilities. Alexa is a close second, and her knife lands in the target straight at bulls-eye. She continues throwing, her knives hitting one another when they quiver from the force of her throws. Edward hits the target every time, although he has yet to hit the center. The trio of idiots—AKA Peter, Drew, and Molly—can barely throw. Their knives just bounce off and clatter to the floor. Poor Al hasn't even hit the target yet, and I just know Eric's going to call him out on it.

Indeed, five minutes later, when Al still hasn't managed to put a knife in the target, Eric calls him pathetic. The poor boy throws his knife, which falls to the ground halfway to the target. Eric sneers at him. "What was that, initiate?"

"I—it slipped."

"Well, go pick it up!"

Al, the idiot, couldn't keep his mouth shut, and says something about how he didn't want to be hit by a knife. I know this won't be good.

"Everyone, clear out!" Eric yells. Then, to Al, "Stand in front of the target."

"W—what?"

"You heard me. Stand in front of the target. Four, lend me a hand, will you?" I walk over, my heart heavy. "Four is going to throw knives at you until you learn to keep your mouth shut. If you flinch, you're out."

Al nods, his face solemn, his posture stumped and resigned. I can't do this. I can't throw knives at an innocent boy just because Eric wants me to! I bring my arm back, knife poised to hurl. I won't hit him. I can't.

"Stop!"

* * *

 **A/N:** **Sorry for the wait! I just said "to heck with it all", and sat down and write this entire chapter. I hope you liked it.**

 **Ok, I know this is a bad place to stop, but I need you guys's opinion. Should it be Tris or Alexa who takes Al's place? Please vote in a review!**

 **Can we please get this story to 35 reviews? It would be my reward for the end of** **my self-declared 500-day-in-a-row violin challenge. I get a trip to Belgium for 'being so dedicated to my music' (hah!). I can't wait to eat all that delicious chocolate!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Ok, I got mixed responses on the last chapter, so I chose to use the idea of a friend of mine. Thank you to** **DauntlessBoy** **. Here's the next chapter.**

 **P.S. I can't believe I've got over 7,000 views! Squeeee!**

* * *

 **Alexa's POV:**

 _"Stop!"_

Everyone turns to Tris, who had spoken up. She continues, paying no heed to the incredulous stares from around the room, the narrowing of Eric's eyes, and the pride filling Tobias's. "Any idiot can stand in front of a target. It doesn't prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall, is a sign of _cowardice."_

Eric sneers. "Then it should be easy for you, if you're willing to take his place."

Everyone holds their breath. I'm fairly sure no one has ever stood up to Eric before. "There goes your pretty face," Peter hisses at Tris. "Oh, wait—you don't have one."

Tris walks toward the board, nodding at Al, who looks relieved. Tris' head barely reaches the middle of the target. I look back at Eric. He holds three knives: two in his left, one in his right.

Tris raises her chin defiantly, but I can tell she's scared. Hell, _I'm_ scared. Playing with fire can only end up with someone getting burnt.

"If you flinch, Al takes your place," Eric says, drawing out every word like Tris is dumb. "Understand?"

She nods.

Eric glances at me before bringing his wrist back and letting fly. The knife is a silver flash in the air, then it buries itself barely half a foot away from Tris' cheek. "You about done, Stiff?" He asks.

"No," Tris replies bravely. True to her word, she hasn't flinched. Eric pulls back and throws the knife again.

It hits the side of her neck, slicing off a piece of flesh, and all I can see is red.

"Don't!" I leap in front of Tris just as Eric poises to throw the last knife. He glares at me, probably for interrupting his fun. "She hasn't flinched—not _once—_ and you hit her neck? Was that intentional, or do you just have horrible aim?"

Gasps fill the air at my question. Eric's eyes narrow to slits.

"If you wish to test my aim, how about we have a contest? You, me, knives."

I smirk, feeling much more nervous than I allow myself to let on. "Seriously? That seems unfair."

Eric's eyebrows rise. "Unfair, how?"

"Well, it seems unfair in that you get to throw knives at me and I don't get to return the favor. Tell you what, why don't we have a competition? Whoever has more bulls-eyes wins."

His eyes narrow and his lips purse in anger, which just emphasizes their fullness. Wait, Alexa, stop thinking like that! He'd just as soon kill you as kiss you! When he speaks, however, his voice is surprisingly even. "Fine. Four, go get Max. I can't have you choosing Alexandra just because she's your sister."

Four gives me an annoyed glare, which quickly turns into a smirk of pride, and jogs off to fetch the Dauntless leader.

Eric turns back to me. "So, the little Stiff thinks she can beat me, huh?" He circles me as he speaks, but I don't give him the satisfaction of turning to keep him in front of me. Instead, I stand ramrod straight, eyes facing dead ahead, face blankly smooth and expressionless. He stops in front of me and whirls around, eyes meeting my own. I am swept up in the stormy greyness of them. " _Answer me_!" He growls.

"Yes," I say, keeping my face impassive. Four returns just then, Max right behind him. And...oh, goody. I "get" to show off in front of the entire Dauntless-born group.

The dark-skinned leader glances at me. "Eric," he says, lips twisted in a disapproving frown, "Seriously? You're challenging a _Stiff_?"

I glare at Max, but keep my mouth shut. Great, first day and I'm already on the radar of two Dauntless leaders. How do I do this?

Eric sneers. _"She_ challenged _me."_ Max just shakes his head and steps off to the side.

"Whoever gets the most bulls-eyes of ten throws wins," he announces. "You may begin."

Eric steps up in front of his target, and I follow suit, arranging my posture the way I learned all those years ago. _Legs apart, shoulders back, tilt at the waist, unlock knees._ I breathe deeply—in through my nose and out through my mouth. I grab a knife, look to Eric, who is in a different position than mine, and motion for him to go first. He looks over my posture and curls his lip in derision. I smirk inwardly.

This will be fun.

* * *

 **Eric's POV:**

I glance over at Alexa and my lip curls at her stance. She's standing all wrong, but she somehow oozes confidence. I don't know how she's going to be able to throw in that position. Her knees are bent, her body at an odd angle.

She waves her hand at the target—a clear gesture for me to go first. I take careful aim, first through one eye and then the other, haul back and let the knife fly. It spins four times on the way—which is fairly good—and buries itself in the target, just an inch away from the bulls-eye. _Ha!_ I smirk to myself. _Beat_ that _!_

Alexa throws her knife sloppily—it ends up a few inches away. Christina, the other Stiff, and Four shoot concerned glances to Alexa. Max nods to me and says, "Eric, one."

I throw my next knife. It hits beside the first, just a bit outside and up. Close enough. Alexa's second knife clatters to the floor after hitting just outside the second circle, and she frowns. I smirk. "Eric, two," Max announces. As if they can't see that!

Third round. Mine is closer to the bulls-eye than my previous throws, just a centimeter or so away. Alexa's is closer, too; it sticks just outside the first circle. It's not the bulls-eye, but if it was counted with points, the throw would still be worth ten.

"Eric, three."

Fourth round. Mine hits exactly on the X. Alexa gives a small smirk, which I wonder briefly about but ignore. She bounces a couple times, brings her arm back way farther than I did, and throws it. The knife turns end-over-end too many times to count—way more than mine did—and thuds into the target to the hilt.

Dead center.

Max tilts his head. "Tie."

I start to sweat slightly. I have to step up my game.

* * *

 **A/N: There is no excuse...I am so sorry! I truly meant to get this up way sooner but I got distracted by TPF and my new writing forums. Which, by the way, you can check out on my profile. Again, I am so so so so so SOOOOOOO sorry! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, but I'm losing focus.**

 **Please give me some ideas of things that you'd like to read!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: if anyone is still around, thank you so much. I'll run my mouth more at the end.**

* * *

 _I start to sweat a little. I have to step up my game._

* * *

 **Eric's POV:**

The next throw, Alexa gets another bulls-eye. I'm panicking slightly at her throwing accuracy by this point. Even Peter and his brainless followers are rooting for Alexa now. I can't get shown up by a Stiff — even if she had years of training on me. Being an Erudite, I had much more experience with chemicals and books than fighting and train-jumping and throwing knives.

But Alexa had the skill to become a leader. A killer. She was dangerous, even if I knew the girl within wouldn't hurt anyone if not necessary.

Even I was slightly scared of her.

I focus on the target and throw. I wince as the knife bounces off the edge. My nerves are getting the better of me at this point.

"Two, Alexa; three, Eric," announces Max. I'm sweating now. I can't afford to lose. I can't afford to have Alexa be recruited by Erudite or something.

Alexa tosses her next knife from hand to hand. She smirks over her shoulder at me, then confidently takes aim and whips her wrist out so fast I barely catch the movement. The knife takes flight and lands squarely in the center.

I breathe deeply. In. Out. In. Out.

Throw.

The knife hits the ring just outside the bulls-eye. Max looks very unhappy, but he says loudly, "Three, Alexa. Three, Eric."

There is a crowd forming outside the training circle — transfers, members, and Dauntless born alike. This is bad. The toughest leader Dauntless has, the youngest, best, and most brutal, is getting his ass kicked by a girl. An Abnegation transfer, no less.

I throw again. Shit. Panic always makes my aim worse, and this time is no different. The knife just bounced off the target and clattered to the floor. Face burning with anger and embarrassment, I go to retrieve it.

"Three, Alexa; three, Eric." Max is frowning fiercely.

Alexa throws, body relaxed. She makes it look so easy.

"Four, Alexa; three, Eric."

"Four, Alexa; four, Eric."

"Five, Alexa; four, Eric."

* * *

I lost. To a girl.

Alexa beat me ten to seven.

How embarrassing. How will I ever show my face again?

I sit on the bench, head down, face in my hands, and let out a loud groan. Everyone has dispersed already — gone to gossip how big, bad Eric got whipped by a female Abnegation transfer in knife throwing.

"Hey."

A soft voice startles me out of my reverie, and I look up.

"Come to gloat?" I ask bitterly of the very girl I'd been thinking of. She shakes her head and sits down beside me.

"Eric, it wasn't that bad," she says, stretching an arm out in an attempt to touch my arm.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I snap — unfairly, I think as her face crumples and I immediately feel bad. I sigh. "Look. Alexa. I get that you're better than me now. I was mad and not thinking clearly. Of course a girl — even an Abnegation — who studied as much as you did is better than me."

She reaches out again, and this time I let her. Her fingers are delicate and warm and soft, and I marvel again at the fact that she seems so normal and petite, but is really a firecracker constantly ready to be set off. "Come on," she says, standing up. "I want some cake. Do you know how to get some? The cafeteria's closed already and it won't open again until dinner time."

I laugh a little. "I know a guy."

* * *

 **A/N: once again, I apologise for the horribly late (and short) chapter. I've been losing interest in this fandom, and find that writing it is not nearly as much fun as it was when I joined this website.**

 **And since we're on that topic, I'd like any readers who see this to know that I am going on hiatus for a few months. I'll be gone no less than six months, but the estimated return date is currently nonexistent. I will not be updating any of my stories or posting new ones after June first — not until I come back — but I will definitely be back. I just don't know when.**

 **If you lose all interest in this story over the time I'm away, I completely understand.**

 **Goodbye for now.**


End file.
